Second-Year MBAs Capture Top Spot in Case Competition

By Jacqueline Ghosen

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A team of four MBA students in the University
at Buffalo School of Management will share a $2,000 prize as
winners of the 16th annual UB MBA Case Competition.

Anthony LaRosa of Rochester, Christopher Maugans of Tonawanda,
A.J. Nicodemi of Penfield, Rafael Pignataro of Williamsville and
Young Yang of Tallahassee, Fla., made up the winning team, which
was chosen from among four teams of finalists who presented the
results of their case analyses on Feb. 17 at the School of
Management. Prizes also were awarded to the second- and third-place
teams.

Sponsored by Columbus McKinnon Corp., Ernst & Young LLP and
Moog Inc., the competition enables second-year MBAs to hone their
analytic and problem-solving skills in a team setting as they
develop real-world business solutions and present their
recommendations to corporate experts.

The case focused on implementing company-wide cultural and
business transitions at a worldwide manufacturer of steam boilers
and generators. Judges evaluated participants on the quality of
their analyses and use of case data, the creativity and clarity of
their recommendations, the quality and detail of their
implementation plans, the quality and style of their oral
presentations, and the quality of their question and answer
responses.

Judges for the final round of the competition were Karen Howard,
vice president-strategic initiatives at Columbus McKinnon; Joe
Bell, vice president-acquisition integration at Moog Inc; Michael
Murray, partner, Ernst & Young LLP; and Arjang Assad, dean, UB
School of Management.

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on
real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global
perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school has
been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Financial Times, Forbes,
U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal for the
quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides
its graduates. For more information about the UB School of
Management, visit http://mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public
university, a flagship institution in the State University of New
York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's
more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through
more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree
programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of
the Association of American Universities.